Strip folding device



Dec. 11, 1962 J. n. GEARHEART STRIP FOLDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 2, 1960 2 L. II

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, ye as 5 [AWE/V702 Dec. 11, 1962 J. D. GEARHEART 3,067,997

STRIP FOLDING DEVICE Filed Sept. 2, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3iliiliiiiiliiiilii I ATTOE/VE) United States Patent Ofi ice 3,067,997Patented Dec. 11, 1962 3,067,997 STRIP FOLDING DEVICE John D. Gearheart,Baldwin Park, Calif., assignor to Clary Corporation, San Gabriel, Califa corporation of California Filed Sept. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 53,805 8Claims. (Cl. 27079) This invention relates to folding devices for stripsof paper or the like and has particular reference to devices for foldingstrips in a fan-fold or accordion fashion. Quite often, paper stripsused in ofiice machines such as bookkeepers, printers and the like areprovided with uniformly spaced, perforated or otherwise weakened foldlines which, when the strip is fed downwardly by gravity into acontainer, assumes a fan-fold shape. That is, successive folds occur inreverse order so as to stack the various strip sections.

Although such gravity-fed, fan-folding arrangements work satisfactorilyin general, they require that the container be so arranged that thestrip is fed downwardly thereinto. This requires a definite arrangementof the container relative to the remainder of the equipment and alsotakes up considerable space. A further drawback to this equipment isfound where the equipment is mounted on unstable vehicles, such astrucks, etc., which are subject to considerable acceleration forces andare often required to traverse uneven terrain where a rocking motionmight cause the paper to become tangled or otherwise folded improperly.Further, such gravity-fed arrangements would be inoperative when used inspace vehicles outside the influence of gravity.

Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to fan-fold astrip of paper or the like without resorting to gravity.

Another object is to provide a device for positively guiding a strip ofpaper or the like into a fan-folded shape.

Another object is to arrange a means whereby an accumulating devicewhich operates at a constantly varying speed may accumulate paper beingsupplied at a constant rate of speed.

A further object is to provide a relatively simple and compact devicefor guiding a strip of paper or the like into a fan-folded shape.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention areaccomplished will be readily understood on reference to the followingspecification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a machine embodying a preferredform of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along the line 22 ofFIG. 1.

FiG. 3 a sectional elevation view similar to FIG. 1 but showing thefolding accumulator in an alternate position.

FIG. 4 shows an alternate means for driving the folding accumulator.

FIG. 5 shows a sample of a fan-fold type paper strip.

Generally speaking, a paper strip 11 (FIG. 1) is fed upwardly from asupply roll (not shown), beneath a spring pressure clip 12, between atype cylinder 13 and platen hammers 14, and under a second springpressure clip 15. The clips 12 and 15 are effective to press the strip11 against the surface of a hammer supporting block and thus exert afriction drag on the strip.

The paper strip used in this machine is of the well known fan-fold type,wherein the strip has been weakened at equal increments by perforatingacross the strip, as shown at 57 in FIG. 5, for ease of folding thestrip in a fan-fold fashion.

The type cylinder 13 and hammers 14 may constitute upper position asillustrated in FIG. 1.

tor downwardly until the discs reach their lowermost posiany well knowntype of selective printer construction such as that disclosed andclaimed in the US. patent to Witt et 211., No. 2,915,968, issued onDecember 8, 1959.

From the clip 15, the strip passes around a friction roller 16, througha first guide chute 17 to a feed sprocket 18. Sprocket pins 19 on thelatter feed the strip 11 into a bubble or cavity 21 formed in a secondguide chute or guide way 22 in preparation for being transferred to anaccumulator assembly, generally indicated at 23.

The frictional roller 16 is comprised of a cylinder 24 having a pair ofspaced bands 25 around its outer periphery, the bands having a slightlylarger outer diameter than the feed sprocket 18, and being formed of amaterial such as rubber, etc., having suitable friction grippingcharacteristics. The cylinder 24 is mounted on a shaft 20 rotatablymounted in suitable bearings (not shown) in machine side frames 26 and27 and is intermittently driven by means (not shown) in timedrelationship with the type cylinder 13.

The feed sprocket 18 is mounted on a rotatable shaft 29 journalled'inbearings (not shown) in the machine side frames. The sprocket preferablyhas two rows of sprocket pins 19, said rows being positioned at oppositeends of the sprocket for engaging holes 31 in the paper strip 11 (FIG.5).

The paper strip 11 generally is extended between the clip 15 and thesprocket 18, but during such time that the sprocket 18 is advancing thepaper strip 11, said strip will become tensioned between said sprocketpins 19 and said clip 15 whereby said strip will contact the grippingbands 25 of the friction roller 16 and since the bands have a fasterperipheral speed than the sprocket 18 it will advance the strip slightlyahead of the sprocket thereby relieving any tension between the stripand feed pins 19 to prevent tearing or enlarging of the holes 31.

The foregoing construction comprising the combined sprocket andoverdriving friction roller for advancing a paper strip is disclosed andclaimed in the copending application of Busch et al., Serial No.788,969, filed on January 26, 1959.

The paper accumulator or carriage 23 comprises a frame member 32 whichis movable in a reciprocating manner, being guided by a set of attachedrollers 33 which ride in grooves 34 and 35 formed in the respective sideframes 26 and 27.

A- set of retaining or registering pins 37 rigidly project'- ing atright angles from the vertical plane of the member 32 pass throughrespective holes formed in a pressure pad or plate 38. The pins arealigned with certain desired holes 31 in the paper strip 11 therebyallowing the pins 37 to pass through the strip and end in respectivegrooves or detents 39 and 40 (FIG. 2) in an accumulator guide wall ortrack 41, whose plane extends parallel to the pad 38 and at right anglesto the length of the guide chute 22.

The presser plate 38 is urged along the pins 37 toward the track plateby compression springs 42, there being one of the springs 42 surroundingeach of the pins 37.

The drive means for the reciprocating accumulator member 32 comprises apair of discs 43 mounted at opposite ends of a rotatable shaft 44. Suchdiscs have loosely pinned thereto links 45, whose opposite ends areconnected through couplings 46 to the member 32. The discs are driven bythe shaft 20 through an endless belt 47 wrapped over pulleys 1-00 and101 fastened on the shafts 2t) and 44, respectively.

At the beginning of a cycle, member 32 will be in its As the discs 43begin to rotate, the links 45 will move the accumula- 3 tions,illustrated in FIG. 3, and as the discs continue to rotate, the linkswill return the accumulator back to its upper position.

An endless cog belt 51 is engaged with a gear wheel 52 of the roller 16and also with a gear wheel 53.mounted on the'sprocket shaft 29 to drivethe sprocket 18 in timed relation with the roller 16.

The strip is so arranged in the machine that when the accumulator is inits upper position a weakened portion 57 will be positioned at a point58, so that as the accumulator starts its downward stroke, the stripwill readily fold at such point and will move downwardly creasing thestrip fold between a second guide wall or track 59 and a previous stripfold.

As the accumulator continues its downward movement, the crease along theperforated line will stiffen the strip already on the accumulator sothat it will draw the strip out of the cavity 21 to be picked up andstacked on the pins 37.

As the lowermost pins 37 sweep past the throat of the chute 22, theywill enter aligned holes 31 in the strip to positively drive thefollowing section of the strip downwardly. When the accumulator reachesthe end of its downward movement and begins its upward stroke the stripwill again be creased as aforedescribed, and during the upward movementanother section will be stacked onto the pins 37 of the accumulator.

The caviety 21 is provided in the chute 22 to compensate for theover-feed of the strip during respective intervals of time by thesprocket 18, resulting from the sprocket feeding the strip at a constantrate of speed while the accumulator is moving at a varying rate of speedresulting from the harmonic motion developed between the discs 43 andthe accumulator 23.

During the initial movement of the accumulator from either end of itsstroke, the paper strip will form a bow in the cavity 21 due to the factthat the sprocket 18 will at that time be traveling at a higherperipheral speed than the accumulator. However, during the mid portionof its stroke the accumulator will be traveling at a higher rate ofspeed and will therefore withdraw such bow from the cavity.

It should be noted that even though the accumulator moves at aconstantly changing rate of speed, its driving means is so arranged thatthe total linear movement of the accumulator during any one of itscycles is equal to the linear feed of the strip by the sprocket 18during that same cycle.

At the end of a machine operation, the operator may remove theaccumulated strip by removing a pin 91 which passes through the sideframes 26 and 27 and tabs 92 and 93 of theplate 41 to thereby allow theplate 41 to pivot counterclockwise about pins 94 so as to enable accessto the accumulated strip.

Shown in FIG. 4 is an alternate means of drive for the accumulator whicheliminates the harmonic motion aforedescribed and therefore eliminatesthe necessity of the cavity 21. Such means comprise a pair of mutilatedgears 95 and related racks 196, one set of which is shown in FIG. 4,wherein the gear 95 is mounted on the shaft 44 in place of the discs 43.The gear rack 196 straddles the gear 95 and is connected through thecoupling 46 to the member 32. The rack is guided for verticalreciproeating movement by fixed pins 103 embraced by a slot 104 in therack.

Duringthe beginning of a cycle, the gear 95 is rotated clockwise in thesame manner as aforedescribed for the discs 43. As the gear rotates,teeth 96 thereofmesh with teeth 97 of the rack 196 thereby driving saidrack and accumulator in a downward stroke.

The gear 95 is so made that it can only supply a driving force from theteeth 96 to the teeth 97 during the first half of its rotation to drivethe rack to the bottom-of its sal we dwinsl e Second ha at s, t t o theteeth 96 will mesh with teeth 98 of the rack thereby re turning saidrack to its upper position. As the shaft 44 continues to rotate, thereciprocating motion will be supplied to the accumulator thereby drivingsaid accumulator 47 at constant rate of speed.

Although the invention has been described herein in detail and certainspecific terms and languages have been used, it is to be understood thatthe present disclosure isillustrative rather than restrictive and thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from the spiritor scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to secure by UnitedStates Letters Patent is:

1. A strip folding device comprising means forming a guide way for astrip, a stationary guide wall extending in opposite directions from oneend of said guide way, said guide wall extending rectilinearly, afan-folding accumulator for receiving said strip from said guide way,means for reciprocating said accumulator along said guide wall and pastsaid guide way whereby to form and accumulate folds of said strip, meanson said accumulator for yieldably pressing accumulated folds of saidstrip against said guide wall, and means on said accumulator forretaining folds of said strip.

2. A strip folding device comprising means forming a guide way for astrip, a stationary guide wall extending in opposite directions from oneend of said guide way, a fan-fold accumulator for receiving said stripfrom said guide way, means for reciprocating said accumulator along saidguide wall and past said guide way whereby to form and accumulate foldsof said strip, and means other than said reciprocating means forthrusting said strip through said guide way in time with saidreciprocating means.

3. A strip folding device comprising means forming a guide way for astrip, means for feeding said strip at a predetermined rate through saidstationary guide way, a guide wall extending in opposite directions andat right angles to said guide way at one end thereof, said guide wallextending rectilinearly, a fan-fold accumulator for receiving said stripfrom said guide way, means other than said feeding means forreciprocating said accumulator in time with said feeding means alongsaid guide wall and past said guide way whereby to form and accumulatefolds of said strip, means on said accumulator for yieldably pressingaccumulated folds of said strip against said guide wall, and means forretaining accumulated folds on said accumulator.

4. A strip folding device comprising means forming a guide way, for astrip having perforations therealong, a track extending in one directionand at right angles from one end of said guide way, a second trackextending in the opposite direction from said end of said guide way,afan-fold accumulator for receiving said strip from said guide way,means for reciprocating said accumulator along said tracks from aposition aligned with one of said tracks to a position aligned with theother said tracks whereby to form and accumulate folds of said strip, aplurality of registering pins on said accumulator for receiving saidperforations in said folds of said strip, a presser pad slideable onsaid pins, and spring means for urging said pad toward said trackswhereby to press accumulated folds of said strip against said tracks.

5. A strip folding device comprising a pair of rectilinearly extendingcoextensive stationary strip guide tracks defining an openingtherebetween, means for guiding a strip into said opening, a fan-foldaccumulator for receiving said strip, means for reciprocating saidaccumulator along said tracks and past said opening whereby to fold saidstrip in fan-fold fashion, and means on said accumulator for supportingand retaining the fan folded portions of said strip.

6. A strip folding device comprising a pair of coextensive strip guidetracks defining an opening therebetween, a chute for guiding a stripinto said opening, means aces/e97 for thrusting said strip endwisethrough said chute at a constant rate of speed, a fan-foldingaccumulator for receiving said strip, means for reciprocating saidaccumulator at a constantly varying rate of speed along said tracks andpast said opening whereby to fold said strip in fan-fold fashion, saidchute having a cavity therein for accumulating overfeed of said strip atsuch time that said accumulator is moving at a slower rate of speed thansaid strip.

7. A strip folding device comprising means forming a guide Way for astrip having perforations therealong, a track extending in one directionand at right angles to one end of said guide way, a second trackextending in the opposite direction from said end of said guide way, afanfold accumulator for receiving said strip from said guide way, meansfor reciprocating said accumulator along said tracks from a positionaligned with one of said tracks to a position aligned with the other ofsaid tracks whereby to form and accumulate folds of said strip, aplurality of registering pins on said accumulator for receiving saidperforations in said folds of said strip, a presser pad carried by saidaccumulator, spring means for urging said pad toward said tracks wherebyto press accumulated folds of said strip against said tracks, and meansfor thrusting said strip endwise through said guide way.

8. A strip feeding device comprising means forming a guide way for astrip having perforations therealong, a

track extending in one direction and at right angles from one end ofsaid guide way, a second track extending in the opposite direction fromsaid end of said guide Way, a fan-fcld accumulator for receiving saidstrip from said guide way, means for thrusting said strip endwise at aconstant rate of speed through said guide way, means for reciprocatingsaid accumulator at a varying rate of speed along said tracks from aposition aligned with one of said tracks to a position aligned with theother of said tracks whereby to form and accumulate folds of said strip,a plurality of registering pins on said accumulator for receiving saidperforations in said folds of said strip, a presser pad carried by saidaccumulator, and spring means for urging said pad toward said trackswhereby to press accumulated folds of said strip against said track,said guide Way having a cavity therein for accumulating overfeed of saidstrip at such time that said accumulator is moving at a slower rate ofspeed than the portion of said strip being thrust through said guide wayby said thrust ing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,440,209 Redman Apr. 20, 1948 2,685,357 Koreska Aug. 3, 1954 2.963.291Norrholm Dec, 6, 1960

